


I Know A Place

by Denois



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, but just the part where they go from pining to smorching, idiots to lovers, pick up lines work best if you use them
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 23:59:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29444460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Denois/pseuds/Denois
Summary: "I just want to run away from everything. Just for a little while."After a moment, Dex started packing his laptop away. "I know a place."Nursey kept staring at Dex."Nurse?"He was probably dreaming, so what could it hurt? "Ch'yeah."
Relationships: Derek "Nursey" Nurse/William "Dex" Poindexter
Comments: 14
Kudos: 125





	I Know A Place

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Birthday Derek Nurse.  
> I actually wrote this a few months ago. September 1, 2020, looking back. I wrote it directly into discord and then promptly forgot to post it anywhere. Luckily, I looked back through discord while trying to think of what to give Derek Nurse for his birthday, and you know what? A really nice date and a really nice bf seem like the kind of thing to get the guy who has everything.
> 
> I hope that you all, but especially my enablers, enjoy accepting this on his behalf.

He'd just been complaining. It was a vent, that's all. Literally, all he expected was a little commiseration and then they'd all go back to studying, or reading, or staring blankly with no inspiration, or whatever it was Chowder and Dex were doing. Nursey was staring blankly with no inspiration, burned out and tired and in desperate need of a break. Something to refresh him. But that wasn't likely to happen and his friends both had at least as much work to do as he did (he was pretty sure Dex was trying for a double major, so he had a thesis and a project). 

"Ugh. I just want to run away from everything. Just for a little while."

"Any place in particular?"

"Someplace quiet." He paused and flapped his hands around at the library. "Brain quiet. Soul quiet."

Dex didn't go back to his work, just continued to look at him, his gaze level. After a moment, Dex started packing his laptop away. "I know a place."

He kept staring as Dex finished packing everything away and stood up.

"Are you coming?"

Of course he wasn't coming. Because he was clearly hallucinating or dreaming or something. There was no way that Dex, 'I'll just get two majors' Dex, 'works harder than God and all the bees' Dex, was stopping his study session because Nursey wanted to run away on a break. That Dex was using a line on him like 'I know a place.' This wasn't happening. It just wasn't.

"Nurse?"

But actually? Fuck it. If he was dreaming, if he'd passed out while studying, then what would it really hurt by going with Dex? Giving in to the fantasy and seeing where it led? There was no reason to be stressed in his dreams. 

"Ch'yeah." He quickly packed his stuff up.

He paused and glanced at C, but Chowder just raised his brows and looked pointedly at Dex before going back to his work. Technically Dex hadn't invited Chowder, which was kind of rude, but apparently Chowder wasn't interested in joining.

Or he was trying to tell Nursey not to blow it. 

It could go either way.

He followed Dex out of the building and across campus to Dex's truck. Then they got in. He hadn't realized it was a place that required driving. But it wasn't like he was going to back out at that point. It was still afternoon, there was plenty of time.

They left Samwell behind on a little highway that Nursey'd never been on before and then Dex pulled into a rundown looking diner. 

"This the place?"

"No. Wait here." Dex didn't explain further, just got out of the truck and went into the diner. 

Nursey wasn't really sure what was going on at this point. Had Dex just decided to drag him to the middle of nowhere and abandon him outside a diner? That didn't make sense. For a number of reasons starting with the fact that Nursey was still in Dex's truck and ending with the fact that Dex's keys and bag were also still in the truck. Plus, Nursey still had his phone.

He was just considering texting Chowder when Dex reappeared with two styrofoam cups in his hands. 

He juggled them to open the door, then passed them over. "Hold these, would you?"

Nursey obliged and took the cups from Dex. 

Then they drove some more. Nursey didn't try to keep track of the turns that Dex made, just watched the scenery go by. 

Until finally, Dex pulled over on the side of the road and opened his door.

Nursey looked around, but this time they were literally in the middle of nowhere. There was a fence and then a field with some trees and grass. The other side of the road had another, nearly identical field.

Dex pulled something out from behind the driver's seat and then reached for the cups that Nursey was holding. "Ok. I can take those."

Nursey was not less confused after he got out of the truck and Dex locked it up. Or when Dex helped him climb over the fence. Or when they walked through the field for a number of minutes. Long enough that he couldn't see the truck when he looked back. Long enough to get to a clearing on top of a hill. 

"Can you hold these again for a second?"

Dex held the cups back out and Nursey took them mutely. Apparently, the item that Dex had retrieved from behind his seat was a blanket, because Dex flipped it out and then spread it over a spot on the top of the hill. Using a couple of rocks to weigh down the corners. 

"Ok. This is the place." Dex gestured at the blanket and then looked at Nursey expectantly. 

He wasn't sure what he was supposed to be doing. They were in the middle of a field in the middle of nowhere. And he was holding two, cold, styrofoam cups. He lifted them slightly. 

"Oh yeah." Dex took the cups back from him. "It'll be easier to sit without these. Did you want chocolate or strawberry?"

"What are you talking about, Poindexter?" Nursey sat down on the blanket, because he wasn't really sure what else to do. He did still have his phone, but it wasn't like he needed help. He was just confused.

Dex lifted the cup in his right hand. "Chocolate." Then the one in his left hand. "Strawberry. I wasn't sure what you'd prefer, so I got one of each."

"That really doesn't clear it up."

Dex carefully sunk down near him. "The diner we stopped at. They have the best frappes outside of Maine. You like chocolate and strawberry, but I wasn't sure which you'd want today."

"Uh, chocolate. I guess." 

Dex nodded and handed over the cup from his right hand, then pulled a straw out of the pocket of his flannel. 

Dubiously, Nursey put the straw in the cup and took a small sip. Then took a much larger drink. It was heaven. The best chocolate milkshake he'd had in months, if not years, if not ever. "This is really good." 

"Ayuh."

"So, this is the place you know, huh?"

"Yep." Dex took a sip of his own milkshake and then leaned back on one arm, looking up at the sky. "It's a good spot for cloud gazing. Or stars at night. Be a good spot for a picnic."

"We climbed a fence, Poindexter. Aren't we on somebody's land?"

Dex shot him a look. "Of course we're on somebody's land. Almost everywhere is somebody's land at this point."

"Won't they get upset?"

"Nah. I did some work for the owner over spring break. Said I could come out whenever I wanted."

"Chill." Nursey leaned back and looked up at the clouds. 

It really was a nice view. It was a good spot. A good place. Soul quiet. 

"You know, usually when a guy says he knows a place, it's because he wants to get the person alone. Like Netflix and chill. Old school make out point."

"Are you really upset that I'm not trying to, what? Violate your personal space?"

"No." Nursey looked over at Dex and considered. This was a nice place. A nice place for a date. "How many people have you brought out here?"

Dex didn't answer, but Nursey was pretty sure that his ears were starting to get pink. 

"Dex?"

"No one else."

Nursey nodded. "You wouldn't be."

"What?"

"Violating my personal space. It wouldn't be a violation. If you wanted to." 

Dex finally looked over at him. He saw Dex's throat work as Dex swallowed. "Yeah?"

"Ch'yeah."

Somehow, Dex made it look smooth, moving closer to him without having to scooch scooch scooch on the blanket, lifting a hand to run a knuckle over Nursey's jaw. "I could kiss you?"

"Please do." 

And he did. 

Dex's tongue tasted of strawberry ice cream and desire. At some point, they ended up laying down on the blanket, milkshakes forgotten and limbs wrapped around each other. It lacked romance and sweetness, but Nursey did not care. Could not find it in himself to care with the way the pads of Dex's fingers kept trailing over his skin.

He wasn't sure how much later it was that they stopped kissing. Long enough that the milkshakes had been melting and managed to soak enough of the blanket that he'd been startled out the moment when it touched the bare skin that Dex's roving hands had exposed. He sat up and stared at them. "Oh shit. The milkshakes spilled." 

He kept staring at them. Everything else had been going so well, it was easy to still believe that it was a dream. They were back in Founders and Dex was busy with his work and Nursey'd nodded off while trying to edit his thesis and he'd dreamed that Dex had taken him out to a pretty field full of flowers and then kissed him while tasting of strawberry milkshake. But if his subconscious had decided to add a cold smear of melted ice cream to his fantasy, it needed to shape up.

Which meant, this could actually be real.

"Wait. Is this real?"

Dex shot him a confused look and then sighed. "We should probably get back. I can throw the blanket in the wash."

Nursey nodded and stood up. He was turned around and not sure which way the truck was, but it didn't take too long for Dex to gather the blanket and their mostly empty cups and lead the way back. 

Dex was quiet the whole drive back to Samwell. His eyes locked on the road. When he finally parked again, he still didn't look at Nursey for longer than a second. 

"'M sorry."

"Dex?"

Dex just nodded and got out of the truck, taking the sticky blanket and his bag. Nursey grabbed his stuff and followed him, taking long strides to catch up and knock their shoulders together. 

"I think you misunderstood me."

"Ayuh. I'm sorry. I should have realized you wouldn't have said it, done it, if you'd realized." 

"No, dumbass. I thought I was dreaming because it was perfect. Because it wouldn't be the first time I'd dreamed about you kissing me like that. Damn, Poindexter." 

Dex stopped and stared at him, disbelief etched into his face. "You don't have to-"

Dex's mouth no longer tasted like strawberry. It hadn't for awhile. But his lips were still soft, his hands still gentle as they wrapped around Nursey's body. Nursey slowly uncurled his fingers from Dex's flannel and pulled away from the kiss. 

"I'm trying to say, I fucking enjoyed kissing you and want to do it some more. You were right, we do still have work to do for projects and theses and whatever. But if you are agreeable to spending the time outside of that making out, I think it would be mad chill."

"Mad chill?" Dex's eye roll was probably mostly for show. 

"Ch'yeah." 

"Ok. Yeah. I'm agreeable."

"Great. I know a place."

"You know a place, huh?"

Somehow, Dex's arm found its way around Nursey's waist, which was nice and allowed him to keep his side pressed firmly to Dex's.

"Yeah. It's my room."

Dex's laughter attracted a number of questioning glances, but Nursey didn't care. It was musical.

**Author's Note:**

> Dex be like “I know a place” and then take you to a beautiful clearing and give you the best milkshake you’ve ever tasted and then respectfully ask if he can kiss you.  
> Nursey be like “I know a place” and then take you back to his room at the Haus where you can keep kissing without fear of sunburn.  
> Chowder be like “I know a place” and then stay at Founders because he’s tired of waiting for y’all to make your moves.


End file.
